My unit (neuro ICU) is the only unit required to float to a lower level of care in our hospital. We float to the neuro step-down floor, though they did not float to the ICU. Max is 3 patients and only 2 can have drains.

A friend works SICU in a hospital in West MI and the ICU nurses are required to float to the progressive care floor. I worked this floor as a nurse tech during school and it's basically a MICU step-down minus the gtts,etc. All patients are tele and usually total care.

Sep 26, '11

Thank you for your response. We are in the midst of revising our policy as in the past critical care nurses were floated to medsurge units with pt ratios 6-8:1. We have researched articles from different nursing resources and are able to support our proposals. In fact a legislation S-73 - The RN Safe Staffing Act has been reintroduced by ANA to ensure safe staffing plans similar to California's nurse patient ratios.

Sep 26, '11

we float everywhere except ob. i think they'd have floated me there the other night "just to do vital signs, etc." if someone in one of the other icus hadn't called out at the last minute.

the worst is floating to rehab. i don't mind giving 8 baths, but when the charge asks me afterward "and how much did he do for himself?" she wasn't real happy when i said "nothing. but he's clean, isn't he?"

Sep 26, '11

ICU nurses at my hospital float to other ICU's only. We have a neonatal ICU, peds CVICU and PICU. If one unit is short nurses can sign up for OT in any of them as well. We do not float to the floors

Sep 27, '11

I have yet to see ICU nurses get floated to progressive care. Typically, PCU nurses will get floated to ICU if they are short-staffed (if the PCU nurse has been oriented to work in the ICU).

Sep 27, '11

Only to other ICU's. I once floated to an oncology floor. That was stupid, what did I know? Had to look everything up.